← Montana fishing maps

Best brook trout lakes in Montana

128 Montana waters list brook trout (official records or labelled estimates), 124 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The native char of cold ponds and streams. Needs the coldest, cleanest water in the lake.

1. Flathead Lake — 380 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
2. Canyon Ferry Reservoir — 130 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
3. Hebgen Lake — 75 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Lake WhitefishWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
4. Hauser Lake — 65 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Swan Lake — 120 ft max · real survey depth contours · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
6. Whitefish Lake — 220 ft max · real survey depth contours · Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Clark Canyon Reservoir — 91 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Common Carp, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
8. Gibson Reservoir — 165 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Arctic Grayling, Cutthroat TroutWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
9. Lake Sherburne — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
10. Mcgregor Lake — 220 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Pishkun Reservoir — 78 ft max · real survey depth contours · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Bull Lake (Lincoln) — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Georgetown Lake — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Lindbergh Lake — 120 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Willow Creek Reservoir — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Echo Lake (Flathead) — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Tally Lake — 450 ft max · real survey depth contours · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
18. Lake Sutherlin — 51 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Lake WhitefishWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Newlan Reservoir — 87 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Lake Helena — 12 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
21. Hubbart Reservoir — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Lake Inez — 72 ft max · real survey depth contours · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. St Marys Lake — 240 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Mcdonald Lake — 100 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Bull TroutWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Fox Lake (Park) — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Arctic GraylingWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

…plus 103 more Montana waters holding brook trout.

Find the closest brook trout waters to you →

When to fish brook trout in Montana

• Spring 2–15 ft — Ice-out scatters brookies along shorelines and inflow mouths, feeding on the first insect activity.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Brookies hold where the coldest water is — spring holes, deep basin edges and inflow plumes.
• Fall 2–15 ft — Fall is the show: brilliant spawning colors on gravel shoals and inflow gravel.
• Winter 3–20 ft — A classic ice-fishing target — active all winter in shallow to mid-depth water.

Also in Montana: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best arctic grayling lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes

Brook Trout elsewhere: Ontario · Sweden · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · New York · Saskatchewan · Massachusetts · Wyoming · Washington · New Brunswick · Alberta · Connecticut · California · Vermont · Utah · Colorado · Nova Scotia · New Mexico · Idaho · Oregon · Nevada